


Visiting Wakanda

by angelmira



Series: Long Time Ago Outtakes [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, Healing, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, Light Angst, Wakanda (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-09-13 12:34:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16892706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelmira/pseuds/angelmira
Summary: Time for Rhodey's POV after the events of Long Time Ago.





	Visiting Wakanda

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to Rebecca who polished this story for me.

**TAKES PLACE AFTER THE EVENTS OF “LONG TIME AGO”**

 

"Did you just summon me via FRIDAY? Let me guess, you forgot my number? Or you just don't want to talk to me directly anymore?" Rhodey wheeled his chair into Tony's workshop. "Think before you answer," he warned him playfully.

 

"Don't be such a drama queen," Tony sighed.

 

"Oh, that's rich coming from someone who acts exactly like a certain ruler of an African country. You spent too much time with T'Challa. All those royal people, and suddenly, you can't even talk to your best friend without the assistance of your AI. What's next? You're going to send invitations to your workshop by mail? I'm hurt, Tony."

 

"No." Tony smirked. "You were hurt when you crashed onto the airfield. Now, we're on our way to fixing things."

 

"Hm." Rhodey shook his head with disappointment. "I hoped we would never discuss this topic again."

 

"I want you to go on vacation with me." Tony crossed his arms over his chest with determination.

 

"Where?"

 

"Wakanda."

 

"Why?"

 

"I know about a certain young lady who's dying to get her hands on you." Tony almost winced at the level of skepticism on his best friend's face.

 

"A doctor? You know very well I hate all those doctors. I saw a lot of them and they all told me the same thing over and over again."

 

Yeah. Tony knew about the test results. He knew about the amount of MRIs and X-rays Rhodey had gone through, and he certainly knew about the prognosis. Tony heaved a sigh.

 

For all of the world, Wakanda was one of the Third World countries no one gave a rat's ass about. For some reason, T'Challa wanted it that way. It wasn't Tony's right to question the king's motivation, however. On the one hand, Tony understood perfectly. It would definitely cease to be a peaceful country if the word got a whiff of their technological advancements.

 

It wasn't Tony's place to talk about the things he had seen there. For his scientific heart, that country was a dream come true, especially his conversations with Shuri about the improvements of the Black Panther armor. That girl was a genius.

 

They both knew she had the technology to help Rhodey walk again, but the time wasn't right. Rhodey wasn't ready. He hadn't wanted to listen whenever the topic was brought up. Tony already spotted the telltale signs that his best friend was about to dismiss the conversation in about three seconds, but this time Tony wasn't letting it go.

 

"Maybe you should visit Wakanda without me. I have---" 

 

"Her name is Shuri," Tony cut him off stubbornly. "She's a teenage genius with access to technology you can't even dream about. I know you're scared about me getting your hopes up, promising you you will be able to walk again and then failing to deliver."

 

Tony didn't want to bring his friend’s fear up, but they had to move on. "But she's capable of healing you. I swear, Rhodey. I would never suggest this option if I wasn't sure. She can do it, and she will."

 

"How?" Rhodey's voice broke. His eyes were shinier than usual. "So many times I’ve heard it's not possible to--- Do you even realize---"

 

_\---what would happen if her science fails._ How much that would break Rhodey? Yeah, Tony was very aware of that.

 

Tony squeezed Rhodey's hand on the armrest and refrained from commenting on the tears forming in his friend's eyes. He couldn't explain anything about Wakanda and its technology, but he wasn't above playing on Rhodey's feelings. "You just have to trust me," he whispered imploringly.

 

Finally, Rhodey relented. He nodded. "When?"

 

Just like that. Trust was a very special thing between them. Rhodey never hesitated. Not with Tony. After all these years, his best friend still believed his every word and trusted in Tony to know better with his genius brain.

 

***

 

Rhodey couldn’t help but feel nervous as he wheeled into the throne room where the armed guards of the Dora Milaje stood along the walls. King T'Challa was seated on his throne looking... well, majestic. As much as Rhodey liked the man, he just couldn't overlook his status.

 

On one side of the king’s throne stood General Okoye, as always shadowing T’Challa and guarding his person. On the other side, there was a beautiful young woman who vibrated with energy. Obviously, she was the inventor and scientist Tony had spoken of. Rhodey knew this kind of pent up energy very intimately himself. He had spent years looking at Tony and sometimes wondering how much of that the man could contain inside himself.

 

Rhodey was mildly surprised she was standing beside the king. She glanced at Tony, giving him a radiant smile. Oh yeah, these two obviously knew each other well. Definitely the scientist. The second her gaze shifted to him, her face went still. This was a girl with a special interest in a battered Colonel with probably zero chance of ever being able to walk again. It made Rhodey uncomfortable. His body was to be in the hands of a near child.

 

As much as he wanted to be a man and look at her without anxious curiosity and fear, Rhodey shifted his eyes back towards T’Challa and rather endured his long gaze. The girl was making Rhodey too nervous. He bowed his head in greeting, and the king returned his gesture. 

 

"My friends," T'Challa stood up, the movement smooth like a... well, like a panther. Who would have guessed?

 

T'Challa made a subtle gesture with his hand, and the guards left the room. Only the king, the scientist and Okoye remained. It was a bit poetic, because Rhodey was accompanied by Tony and Steve. So, three on three.

 

"T'Challa." Tony grinned and literally leaped into the king's arms.

 

Rhodey tried to ignore the slight pang of jealousy blossoming in his chest. He couldn't even remember how it felt when Tony hugged him like this. Sure, it wasn’t like his best friend didn’t hug him anymore, but this was _different_.

 

T’Challa stood and returned the embrace, not batting an eye at the way Tony pressed himself against his chest. Even their legs were touching. Rhodey's gaze slid away. Suddenly, he was all to aware of how much he longed to hug someone with all of his body feeling it as well. 

 

Tony didn't waste any time and proceeded to switch people, now hugging the grinning girl.

 

"You finally brought him to me!" She bounced giddily. "What took you so long, White Ass?"

 

"It wasn't that easy, Royal Pain in the Ass," Tony shot back as he retreated again. 

 

Behind Rhodey, Steve spoke up with a greeting of his own, and by the tone of his voice, he was pleased with the whole situation. "King T'Challa. Your Highness. General Okoye."

 

"Rhodey." Tony clapped a hand on his shoulder, causing everyone’s attention turn on him. Rhodey hated it. "Allow me to introduce you to Her Highness Princess Shuri. She's the best inventor on this planet. Not including me, obviously." Tony beamed at him.

 

"Dream on, Old Man. Colonel Rhodes." The girl, Shuri, closed the distance between them and offered him her hand for shaking.

 

All of her funny attitude was gone within a second. Yeah. Rhodey was certain she knew _everything_ about him.

 

"I have waited for your visit for a long time."

 

"Your Highness," he mumbled, uncomfortable.  

 

"You can call me Shuri." She smiled at him. "Come on, we have a lot to talk about."

 

"What?" Tony gaped at her. "How come _I_ can't call you Shuri?"

 

"You're a white boy. I don't like white boys," she answered matter-of-factly.

 

"Be glad she's not calling you a colonizer," a new voice behind them piped up. Rhodey was familiar with Everett Ross. He had no idea what the man was doing in Wakanda, but he could live through an encounter with him. He wheeled around to face him just as another person spoke up, suggesting, "Or White Wolf.”

 

Rhodey almost felt the temperature in the room drop. Beside him, Tony's back stiffened, but he didn't turn to face Bucky Barnes.

 

"Buck," Steve breathed out, obviously surprised. So the good Captain hadn't known about his waking either.

 

"Steve." Bucky nodded with a smile.

 

Rhodey was glad Tony still looked at T'Challa and didn't see the joy on the Captain's face, the big smile Steve wore, or the hug the former teammates of the Howling Commandos exchanged. Rhodey didn't want the situation to escalate. He took a deep breath and put his hand on Tony's side. "Maybe I should see the lab. Will you take me there?" 

 

"Yeah." Tony cleared his throat, pointedly ignored everything going on around him and turned to Shuri. "We'll wait for you downstairs. Ross?" Tony glanced at him, and they were on their way out of throne room a moment later when the CIA agent agreed to accompany them. He was practically at home in the palace, after all - that much Rhodey had gathered from the last few minutes.

 

All of them would benefit from some conversation, Rhodey decided. He desperately wanted to shatter the heavy silence because he knew very well what said silence meant. Tony's head must be filled with memories from Siberia and the Civil War. God, he would give anything just to erase the last five minutes. Tony was hurt. His best friend's coping mechanism was always sarcasm, and as if on cue, Tony started to talk. "How come every pain in the ass has the surname Ross?” He glanced sideways to address Everett. “Do you have a special Ross department or is your name actually different and after some time you have to change it?"

 

"It's good to see you too, Mr. Stark." Everett faked a smile and ignored the jibe.

 

Rhodey wanted so much to be wrong, but he just knew Tony too well. Sarcasm was his defense. 

 

"Fine, you want me to ask. I’ll humor you. What are you doing here?"

 

"I'm here as a liaison between the U.S. Government and Wakanda," Ross explained. "T'Challa is going to hold a speech at the United Nations Headquarters at Vienna next month. I'm here to ease the relationship between our countries."

 

"I'm sure with Shuri's improvements, the States are currently shitting themselves to be on T'Challa's good side," Tony mumbled. 

 

"They still don't know the truth." Ross’ statement brought a long pause to their conversation. 

 

Rhodey glanced from one man to the other. He didn't want to pass quick judgment, but he was almost sure he spotted a glint of appreciation in Tony's eyes. Everett Ross had just risen on Tony's imaginary ladder of opinions. The CIA agent's allegiance lay with this African country rather than his own country of birth.

 

Tony nodded. "Good. He will need all the help of his allies if he's going to stand in the spotlight telling the truth." 

 

"I told him the same not long ago."

 

They slowly descended to Shuri's lab. Rhodey looked around, taking in all the monitors, gadgets, several Black Panther suits and other new inventions. "You think she can help me?" Rhodey watched Everett very closely. He wanted to have an opinion from someone other than Tony. Someone who saw the city and knew what advanced technologies Wakanda really had up its sleeve. 

 

"Shuri certainly saved me. I had a bullet lodged in my spine. I woke up here some hours later with barely a scar in place. She will heal you, Colonel," Ross reassured him calmly. "That's out of question."

 

The three of them turned around when T'Challa entered after them. This time, General Okoye was not accompanying him. "I owe you an apology, Tony."

 

Rhodey rolled his eyes, because once more the king's words were meant for Tony. T'Challa interacted like this with everyone. If he was giving you his attention, nobody else existed. 

 

"It's fine." Tony averted his eyes and took a look at all the blueprints on the worktable. "She improved my idea with sneakers. Good girl."

 

"He was not supposed to be here, Tony. I wanted to officially inform you first. That encounter should not have happened," T’Challa continued to explain. 

 

"Don't sweat it, T'Challa. We---"

 

Rhodey smiled. It was funny seeing his best friend shut his mouth just because of one look and inclination of the king's head. The Wakandan leader had the kind of majestic charisma that didn't let you bullshit him.

 

"You will not meet him again," the king assured him, but he still looked regretful as he regarded Rhodey's best friend.

 

Tony simply nodded.

 

They all turned their heads when joyful laughter echoed from the walls. Shuri and Steve entered the laboratory, both still smiling, but the moment they were in the  room Steve's eyes searched for Tony. Rhodey glanced at his best friend. Yeah, Tony had it bad. Happy Steve Rogers meant happy Tony Stark. No matter how much the idea of being in the same palace as Bucky Barnes shook Tony's equilibrium, some things never changed.

 

Tony shook his head and returned his attention to Rhodey. "Where were we?"

 

"In Wakanda. In case your brain suffered from the long look between you and Captain Perfect," Rhodey deadpanned.

 

"Oh, I was sure you were going to be my favorite," Shuri grinned. "Do you want to be cured now or after dinner?"

 

Rhodey hadn't anticipated that kind of question. He blinked in confusion.

 

"Now, you insolent royal prodigy," Tony answered for him.

 

Rhodey wanted to object, but if he had time to think about it, he would probably worry himself into an early grave. He was a soldier, damn it! "Now would be fine."

 

"I was born ready. Hop on the table, Colonel." Shuri pointed to it.

 

It wouldn't be easy to get onto the table - it was too high. Before he had the chance to say anything, however, Tony took care of the situation.

 

"Everyone, it was good to see you, but shooo shooo. Out! Even you, Pretty Soldier!" Tony rolled his eyes at Steve. "Don't give me those eyes! I'm immune to them."

 

While Tony ushered the rest of the people out of the room, Rhodey wheeled himself towards the table. When it was finally only the three of them - Rhodey, Tony and the young scientist, Tony helped him get into position on the table.

 

Rhodey's heart was racing in fear. What if they couldn't heal him, after all? Would he be able to act like nothing happened? Would Tony blame himself?

 

"Rhodeybear."

 

Tony's voice and his firm hand squeezing his forearm made him focus on his best friend.

 

"It will be fine. Just close your eyes. Trust me. I'm right here."

 

He nodded. Yeah. If he could depend on somebody, that person would definitely be Tony. Their friendship had survived for decades. They were no longer the stupid kids who had met in MIT, they had lived through all of Earth’s invasions, all the bad guys and all the life-threatening situations. If things went south, he could survive being paralyzed for the rest of his life.

 

Rhodey had access to the War Machine suit thanks to Tony's improvements. He didn't doubt Tony's genius. If the young lady couldn't heal him, Tony wouldn't rest till he figured out some other way for him to move.

 

"Promise me you won't kill yourself in a haste to figure out something better in case this is not gonna work. Promise me you won't blame yourself," he had to insist on Tony's words.

 

"OK." Tony replied.

 

And just like that, Rhodey wasn't scared anymore as much as annoyed with his long-time friend. "Tony?"

 

"I promise. Do you want me to pinky swear, too? Now shut up and close your eyes," Tony grumbled. 

 

Rhodey could live with that. He took a deep breath and relaxed on the exhale as the world went dark around him.

 

***

 

Someone was tapping Rhodey's shin with their finger. He wanted to push that person away. It was annoying. He wanted to sleep, not let some jackass drum on his body parts.

 

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty."

 

"Fuck off," Rhodey mumbled. Now, who could that be when the only asshole in Wakanda capable of annoying him within seconds of waking up was Tony. The tapping didn't even falter. "Stop it!" he snapped.

 

"Stop what exactly?"

 

Rhodey hated that sweet, saccharine tone. He wanted to yell for Tony to quit fucking touching his leg! Then, Rhodey's face scrunched up with emotion when he registered his own thoughts - that he could actually _feel_ Tony’s touch. People took the way their body’s sensitive receptors worked for granted.

 

"Come on, you lazy ass. Open your eyes." Tony had obviously changed his position, because now there was the awful stench of garlic breath in Rhodey's face.

 

Rhodey’s eyes snapped open. "You're disgusting."

 

Tony's eyebrows shot up. "I saved some yummy garlic dinner for you. And this is how you thank me? See if I ever take you anywhere for vacation again." Tony retreated from the medical table and headed towards the exit. "Move your ass, Rhodeybear. People are waiting for you."

 

"So that's it?" He sat up without any discomfort. "I'm all healed? I can walk?"

 

Tony shrugged. He played the nonchalance very well, but his face told the real story. "They are your legs. You can use them, or not. You do remember how to do that, right?"

 

Rhodey swung them angrily from the table. That smug bastard knew very well how to get under Rhodey's skin.

 

"Great. Go on. I'm ageing here. You want me to hold your hand or something?"

 

"I will end you. You hear me?" Rhodey darted in Tony's direction just as his friend bolted from the room with hysterical laughter.

  
  


**THE END**

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. This is the last snipet in my Long Time Ago universe. :(


End file.
